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Northwestern Health Sciences University

Writing & Citing

Use this guide to find tools and resources to help you write more clearly, easily and with confidence.

Getting Started with Grammarly

Grammarly is a writing support tool that helps with spelling, grammar, punctuation, and concise writing.  It can also make suggestions to improve clarity, adjust your tone, detect plagiarism, and other helpful insights to assist you in all assignments that include a writing component of any size.

NWHSU is pleased to offer students and faculty free access to this premium academic version of Grammarly.  Please note:  New students may not be able to create an account until the first day of their first trimester.

To Create Your Account:

  1. Use the computer you will use for the majority of your schoolwork. 
  2. Click this link:  Create Account Using NWHSU Credentials 
  3. You may need to log in using your "@nwhealth.edu" e-mail address and password.
  4. You will arrive at the Grammarly EDU application. 
  5. This access includes add-ins for Microsoft Office and various browsers, so there may be some installation required.   

Quick Links:

Frequently Asked Questions

How Can I Use Grammarly?

You can use Grammarly online, a desktop app or extension.  Click on the following links to learn how to install each one.

Integrations, Extensions and Downloads
Online Editor (Online Only) Microsoft Word & Outlook (PC)
Browser Extension (Chrome, Firefox, Safari & Edge) IPad
Microsoft Word (Mac) Android Keyboard
IOS Keyboard                                                     

What does the EDU version offer that the free version does not?

Both the free version and the EDU version offer corrections or suggestions related to grammar, spelling and punctuation.

The EDU version also offers guidance on:

  • Sentence clarity
  • Hitting the right tone (direct, optimistic, confident...etc.)
  • Formality level (informal, neutral or formal)
  • Word choice (it will signal if you use a word too often or they feel there's a stronger option)
  • Fluency (If you are writing in a language other than your  primary language, Grammarly will help you sound more natural in that language)
  • Plagiarism (It will search the internet to see if the words come directly from another site)

Can I use this as a plagiarism checker?

Yes.  It's included as an option online and in Word.  However, in testing, it would only catch paragraphs deliberately copied from open source documents 60-70% % of the time. It will also "catch" common words and phrases that aren't plagiarized.  The checker should only be used for guidance and not to definitively catch plagiarism.

Is there a way to turn off Grammarly from automatically starting in Outlook or Word?

Yes.  If you select the tab at the top of Outlook or Word that says Grammarly, you will see that you can adjust the settings.

grammarly settings